Reproduction

How does the Baird's tapir produce its young?

Breeding has been recorded year round in this species but is most common before the rainy season.

Females give birth to a single calf though twins have occurred on rare occasions. At birth they weigh 5-8kg (11-18lbs). Gestation lasts 390-400 days.

Calves are referred to as watermelons due to their coat patterning which is brown with cream stripes and spots running along the length of their body. These help to camouflage the calf in the dappled light of the forest floor.

Mothers provide care for their young for between 1 and 2 years. Weaning off of milk takes place at 12 months old.

Behavior

What does the Baird's tapir do with its day?

Their vocalization is a shrill whistle which can be used to communicate with their calf or to remove other adults from their habitat.

Much of their activity takes place by night. During they day they will seek shelter in patches of thick vegetation.

They are capable swimmers and will take to the water to escape predators. These animals will sit in water to cool themselves down as well.

These animals are primarily solitary and undertake most activities alone but appear tolerant of other individuals in their territory. Occasionally they are seen charging at one another.

Credit: Bernard DUPONT, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Predators and Threats

What is impacting the survival of the Baird's tapir?

Natural predators of the Baird's tapir include cats such as the jaguar and cougar. They mainly take young individuals.

Numbers of the Baird's tapir are declining across their range and they are already believed to be extinct in El Salvador. A number of populations across the remainder of their range are also believed to be extinct.

A major factor in their decline has been habitat destruction and hunting. Hunting causes a large issue as due to their low reproductive rate their populations are slow to rise again after animals are removed. Hunting occurs for both food and sport.

Other smaller threats include disease, especially through encounters with livestock, capture for the pet trade and climate change.

Quick facts

These animals may also be known as the Central American tapir. In Belize they are known as the Mountain cow.

The closest relative of the tapir are the rhinos.

The Baird's tapir is named for the American naturalist, W.M. Baird who described the species for western science during an expedition to Mexico in 1843.

Belize recognize this species as their national animal.